British slang

British slang is English-language slang originating from and used in the United Kingdom and also used to a limited extent in Anglophone countries such as Ireland, South Africa, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, especially by British expatriates. It is also used in the United States to a limited extent. Slang is informal language sometimes peculiar to a particular social class or group and its use in Britain dates back to before the 15th century. The language of slang, in common with the English language, is changing all the time; new words and phrases are being added and some are used so frequently by so many, they almost become mainstream.

While some slang words and phrases are used throughout Britain (e.g. '' knackered'', meaning "exhausted"). Others are restricted to smaller regions, even to small geographical areas. The nations of the United Kingdom, which are England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, all have their own slang words, as does London. London slang has many varieties, the best known of which is rhyming slang.

English-speaking nations of the former British Empire may also use this slang, but also incorporate their own slang words to reflect their different cultures. Not only is the slang used by British expats, but some of these terms are incorporated into other countries' everyday slang, such as in Australia, Canada and Ireland.

British slang has been the subject of many books, including a seven volume dictionary published in 1889. Lexicographer Eric Partridge published several works about British slang, most notably '' Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English'', revised and edited by Paul Beale.

Many of the words and phrases listed in this article are no longer in current use.

Definitions of slang

Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's dialect or language. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo (see euphemism). It is often used to identify with one's peers and, although it may be common among young people, it is used by people of all ages and social groups.

Collins English Dictionary (3rd edition) defines slang as "Vocabulary, idiom etc that is not appropriate to the standard form of a language or to formal contexts, may be restricted as to social status or distribution, and is characteristically more metaphorical and transitory than standard language".CED 1991, p. 1451.

The Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar (1994) defines it as "Words, phrases, and uses that are regarded as informal and are often restricted to special contexts or are peculiar to specific profession, classes etc".

Jonathon Green, in his 1999 book ''The Cassell Dictionary of Slang'', defines slang as "A counter language, the language of the rebel, the outlaw, the despised and the marginal". Recognising that there are many definitions, he goes on to say, "Among the many descriptions of slang, one thing is common, it is a long way from mainstream English".Green 1999, p. v (intro).

History and dating of British slang

The dating of slang words and phrases is difficult due to the nature of slang. Slang, more than any other language, remains spoken and resists being recorded on paper (or for that matter any other medium). By the time slang has been written down, it has been in use some time and has, in some cases, become almost mainstream.Green 1999, p. vi (intro).

The first recorded uses of slang in Britain occurred in the 16th century in the plays of Thomas Dekker, Thomas Middleton and William Shakespeare.Green 1999, p. vii (intro). The first books containing slang also appeared around that time: Robert Copland's ''The hye way to the Spytlell hous'' was a dialogue in verse between Copland and the porter of St Bartholomew's Hospital, which included thieves' cant; and in 1566, Thomas Harman's ''A Caveat or Warning for Common Cursitors, vulgarly called vagabonds'' was published. The ''Caveat'' contained stories of vagabond life, a description of their society and techniques, a taxonomy of rogues, and a short canting dictionary which was later reproduced in other works.

In 1698 the ''New Dictionary of the Canting Crew'' by B. E. Gent was published, which additionally included some 'civilian' slang terms. It remained the predominant work of its kind for much of the 18th century, until the arrival in 1785 of ''The Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue'' by Captain Francis Grose, which ran to more than five expanded editions. Grose's book was eventually superseded by John Camden Hotten's ''Slang Dictionary'' in 1859. In 1889 two multi-volumed slang dictionaries went on sale: ''A Dictionary of Slang, Jargon and Cant'' by Albert Barrere and Charles Leland, and ''Slang and its Analogues'' by John Farmer and W. E. Henley; the latter being published in seven volumes. It was later abridged to a single volume and released in 1905 as ''A Dictionary of Slang and Colloquial English''. This book provided the major part of Eric Partridge's ''Dictionary of Slang and Unconventional English'' (1937). It was not until the 1950s that slang began to make regular appearances in books and in the relatively new media of motion pictures and television.

Varieties and purpose of slang

There are a number of different varieties of British slang, arguably the best known of which is Rhyming slang. Chiefly associated with cockney speech spoken in the East End of London, words are replaced with a phrase which rhymes. For example: ''plates of meat'' for "feet", or ''twist and twirl'' for "girl". Often only the first word is used, so ''plates'' and ''twist'' by themselves become the colloquialisms for "feet" and "girl".

Thieves' cant or Rogues' cant was a secret language (a ''cant'' or ''cryptolect'') which was formerly used by thieves, beggars and hustlers of various kinds in Great Britain and to a lesser extent in other English-speaking countries. It is commonly believed that cant was developed from Romany but the ''Winchester Confessions'', a pamphlet published in 1616, clearly distinguishes between Gypsy and Cant words.
Now mostly obsolete, it is largely relegated to the realm of literature.

Some slang was developed because of a need for secrecy, such as ''prison slang'', derived from thieves cant and Polari, a variety used by homosexuals in Britain and the United Kingdom. Homosexuality was a crime until 1967 and Polari has a history going back at least a hundred years. Sometimes the purpose of slang is to cause offence, insults such as wanker or gobshite for example; and sometimes the purpose is to prevent it by substituting a slang word for the offensive one, berk (rhyming slang for cunt) for example.Green 1999, p. viii (intro). Sometimes a Spoonerism, is employed to make taboo speech more acceptable. For example: Cupid stunt and Betty Swallocks.Green 1999, p. 83.

Slang is also used to create an identity or sense of belonging and a number of occupations have their own slang; most notably the armed forces, referred to as ''Forces'' or ''Service'' slang; and the construction industry.Quinion 2009, p. 9. A dictionary of service slang by J. L. Hunt and A. G. Pringle was published in 1943. It was reprinted in 2008. The introduction acknowledges that slang is an ever-changing language with new slang terms emerging all the time. It also recognises that some service slang has made its way into civilian use. Examples of this include the old naval terms, "Talking bilge" (nonsense) and "A loose cannon" (an unorthodox person with the potential to cause harm).

Phrases

A

; air one's dirty linen/laundry : To discuss private matters in public.Green 1999, p. 11.
; all to cock : (Or fall a-cock) Unsatisfactory, mixed up.
; all mouth and (no) trousers : All talk and no action, a braggart, sexual bravado. (The inclusion or otherwise of "no" in the expression is disputed.)
; all piss and wind : All talk and no action. Originally the phrase was, "all wind and piss" (19th century).
; all tits and teeth :a derogatory description for a woman who succeeds by using her physical attributes rather than her brain; an attractive but shallow, cynically manipulative, or even stupid woman.
; anchors : motor car brakes; "slam on the anchors" to brake really hard.
; argy-bargy : An argument or confrontation.Green 1999, p. 27.
; arse : 1. The buttocks. 2. Someone who acts in a manner which is incompetent or otherwise disapproved of.
; arse about face : Back to front.
; arse around : Mess around or waste time (17th century).
; arsehole : 1. The anus. 2. General derogatory term.
; arse bandit : homosexual (offensive, derogatory).Green 1999, p. 29.
; arse over tit : Head over heels, to fall over or take a tumble.Green 1999, p. 30.

B

; ball bag : Scrotum.Green 1999, p. 50.
; balls up : A bungled or messed up situation. (WWI Service slang).
; bang to rights : Caught in the act.CED 1991, p. 120.
; bang up : 1. To lock up in prison (prison slang). 2. To inject an illegal drug.
; barking mad : (also just ''barking'') completely crazy; insane.
; barmy : crazy or foolish.
; barney : a noisy quarrel or fight. Sometimes claimed to be rhyming slang ( Barney Rubble, trouble) but actually dates back to 19th century.
; bender : 1. a drinking binge. 2. A homosexual (derogatory)
; bent : 1. dishonest or corrupt, 2. homosexual (mildly derogatory).
; bent as a nine bob note : Extremely dishonest or corrupt. No nine shilling (bob) note was ever issued, so it would have to be counterfeit.Green 1999, p. 81
; berk : (also spelt burk) idiot, stupid person (from Berkeley Hunt, Cockney rhyming slang for cunt)
; Billy : 1. Amphetamines (from Billy Whizz, a British comic strip character.)Green 1999, p. 90. 2. Friendless (Billy No-Mates)
; billyo : (also spelt billyoh) an intensifier. Going like billyo (travelling quickly).
; bird : 1. Girl, woman. 2. Prison sentence (From the rhyming slang: Bird lime)CED 1991, p. 158.
; Birmingham screwdriver : A hammer.Green 1999, p. 92.
; bizzie : Policeman (Scouse).
; blag : As a noun, a robbery or as a verb, to rob or scrounge. Not to be confused with blague, talking nonsense.CED 1991, p. 164.
; blah : (or blah blah) worthless, boring or silly talk.
; blim : A very small piece of Hashish. Also used as slang with the word bus (Blimbus) for the shortest British coach bodies of the 1960s to 1980s.
; blimey : or sometimes 'cor blimey' (archaic). An abbreviation of 'God blind me' used as an interjection to express shock or surprise. Sometimes used to comic effect, in a deliberate reference to it being archaic usage.CED 1991, p. 167.
; Blighty : (or Old Blighty) Britain, home. Used especially by British troops serving abroad or expatriates. A relic of British India, probably from the Hindi billayati, meaning a foreign land.
; bloke : any man or sometimes a man in authority such as the boss.
; blooming, blummin': euphemism for bloody. Used as an intensifier e.g. 'blooming marvelous'.
; blow off : To fart.CED 1991, p. 171.
; blue : 1. Policeman. 2. a Tory.
; bobby : Policeman. After Robert Peel (Home Secretary in 1828).
; bod : A male person. Short for body.CED 1991, p. 175.
; bodge : (also botch) To make a mess of or to fix poorly.
; bog : ToiletCED 1991, p. 176
; bog off : Go away (originally RAF slang)Green 1999, p. 123
; bog roll : Toilet paper.
; Bogtrotter : Derogatory term for an Irishman, particularly an Irish peasant.
; bollocking : A severe telling off.CED 1991, p. 178.
; bollocks : (or ballocks) Vulgar term used for testicles. Used to describe something as useless, nonsense or having poor quality, as in "That's a load of bollocks". Is often said as a cry of frustration or annoyance. Also see "dog's bollocks".
; bomb : A large sum of money as in 'to make a bomb'. Also 'to go like a bomb' meaning to travel at high speed.
; bonce : Head, crown of the head. Also a large playing marble.CED 1991, p. 179.
; booze : As a noun, an alcoholic drink; as a verb, to drink alcohol, particularly to excess.CED 1991, p. 182.
; boozer : 1. a pub or bar. 2. Someone who drinks alcohol to excess.
; Bo-Peep : Sleep (rhyming slang).
; boracic/brassic: without money. From rhyming slang boracic lint = skint (skinned).Green 1999, p. 134.
; bottle : 1. nerve, courage. 2. Money collected by buskers or street vendors. 3. As a verb, to attack someone with a broken bottle.CED 1991, p. 186.
; bounce : 1. To con someone into believing or doing something. 2. To forcibly eject someone. 3. Swagger, impudence or cockiness. 4. Of a cheque, to be refused by the bank due to lack of funds.CED 1991, p. 187
; bouncer : Someone employed to eject troublemakers or drunks.
; bovver boy : A youth who deliberately causes or seeks out trouble (bother).CED 1991, p. 188
; bovver boots : Heavy boots, sometimes with a steel toecap, worn by bovver boys and used for kicking in fights.
; brass : 1. Money. 2. Cheek, nerve. 3. a prostitute.CED 1991, p. 194.
; Bristols : The female breasts (Cockney rhyming slang, from Bristol bits = tits, or Bristol City = titty).Green 1999, p. 150.
; broke : Without money. Also 'stoney broke', or just 'stoney'.
; brown bread : Dead (Cockney rhyming slang).Green 1999, p. 154.
; brown-tongue : Sycophant, toady or someone who attempts to curry favour with another (from the idea of licking another's backside).Green 1999, p. 155.
; buff : 1. Bare skin, naked as in 'in the buff'.CED 1991, p. 209. 2. Having a lean, muscular physique (usually referring to a young man).
; bugger : anal sex but in slang terms can be used : 1. As a term of abuse for someone or something contemptible, difficult or unpleasant. 2. Affectionately, as in 'you silly bugger'. 3. As an exclamation of dissatisfaction, annoyance or surprise. 4. To mean tired or worn out as in 'I'm absolutely buggered'. 5. To mean frustrate, complicate or ruin completely, as in 'You've buggered that up'.CED 1991, p. 210.
; bugger about (or around) : 1. To fool around or waste time. 2. To create difficulties or complications.
; bugger all : nothing.
; bugger off : go away.
; bum : buttocks, anus or both.CED 1991, p. 212. Not particularly rude. ' Builders' bum' is the exposure of the buttock cleavage by an overweight working man in ill-fitting trousers.
; bumf : derogatory reference to official memos or paperwork. Shortened from bum fodder. Slang term for toilet roll.CED 1991, p. 213
; bumsucker : a toady, creep or someone acting in an obsequious manner.
; bumfreezer : any short jacket, but in particular an Eton jacket.
; bung : 1. a gratuity or more often a bribe. 2. Throw or pass energetically; as in, "bung it over here".
; bunk : 1. To leave inappropriately as in to 'bunk off' school or work.CED 1991, p. 214. 2. To run away in suspicious circumstances as in to 'do a bunk'.
; butcher's : Look. Rhyming slang, butcher's hook.CED 1991, p. 219.

C

; cabbage : 1. A stupid person or someone with no mental abilities whatever. 2. Cloth trimmed from a customer's material by a tailor. 3. Pilfer or steal.CED 1991, p. 223.
; charver or charva : 1. Sexual intercourse (Polari).Green 1999 p. 215. 2. A loose woman, someone with whom it is easy to have sexual intercourse, an easy lay. 3. To mess up, spoil or ruin(from 1.).
; chav, chavi or chavvy : Child (from the Romany, chavi. Still in common use in rural areas).Green 1999, p. 217. Also used in Polari since mid-19th century.
; chav : Someone who is, or pretends to be, of a low social standing and who dresses in a certain style, typically in "knock off" sports and designer clothing, especially Burberry. Often used as a form of derogation. Popularised by British tabloids during the 00s using the backronym 'Council-Housed and Violent': actually comes from the Romany for child, 'chavi'.
; cheers : a sign of appreciation or acknowledgement, or a drinking toast.CED 1991, p. 277.
; cheesed off : fed up, disgusted or angry.
; chinky, chink, or chinky chonky: 1. Chinese takeaway, usually considered offensive 2. Chinese person (derogatory)
; chinwag : A friendly conversation.
; chippy : 1. A carpenter;CED 1991, p. 284. chip shop 2. A prostitute or promiscuous young woman.
; chuff : The buttocks or anus.
; chuffed : to be very pleased about something.CED 1991, p. 291.
; clever dick, clever clogs: Someone who is annoyingly or ostentatiously clever.
; clock: 1. The face. 2. To spot, notice. 3. To hit as in "clock round the earhole".CED 1991, p. 305.
; cock : 1. Penis. 2. Nonsense. 3. A friend or fellow.CED 1991, p. 311.
; cock-up : as a noun or verb, blunder, mess up or botch.CED 1991, p. 312.
; codswallop: Nonsense.CED 1991, p. 313.
; collywobbles : An upset stomach or acute feeling of nervousness.CED 1991, p. 319.
; conk : The head or the nose. To strike the head or nose.CED 1991, p. 340.
; cop : 1. A policeman (short for copper). 2. An arrest or to be caught out, as in 'It's a fair cop'. 3. Used with a negative to mean of little value, as in 'That's not much cop'. 4. To get, as in for example, to 'cop off with', 'cop a feel' or 'cop a load of that'.CED 1991 p. 352.
; copper : A policeman.CED 1991, p. 353.
; cor blimey : An exclamation of surprise. Originally from "God blind me". See also "blimey".
; corker : Someone or something outstanding.CED 1991, p. 356.
; corking : Outstanding, excellent.
; cottage : A public lavatory.CED 1991, p. 362.
; cottaging : Homosexual activity in a public lavatory.
; crack : 1. A gibe. 2. Someone who excels at something. 3. Fun or a good time. From the Irish 'craic'.CED 1991, p. 370.
; cracker : Something or someone of notable ability or quality.
; crackers : Insane.

D

; darbies : Handcuffs.CED 1991, p. 403.
; debag : To remove someone's trousers by force.CED 1991, p. 409.
; dekko : Look. From the Hindi, dekho.CED 1991, p. 417.
; dick : 1. Fellow. 2. Penis.CED 1991, p. 437.
; dicks : Headlice or nits. "Here comes the dick nurse" "You mean Nitty Nora, the head explorer"
; dip : a pickpocket.CED 1991, p. 444.
; div : idiot (prison slang)CED 1991, p. 456. From "The Divisional room" where extra reading was taught in the northern comprehensive schools during the 1970s and 1980s.
; do one's nut : Become enraged.
; doddle : Something simple or easy to accomplish.CED 1991, p. 460.
; dodgy : 1. Something risky, difficult or dangerous. A 'dodgy deal' for example. 2. Of low quality. "Spurs' dodgy defence had thrown away a 2–0 lead"
; dog : 1. A rough or unattractive woman. 2. A fellow.
; dog's bollocks: 1. Anything obvious ("Sticks out like the dog's bollocks").Green 1999, p. 346. 2. Something especially good or first rate ("It's the dog's bollocks", sometimes abbreviated to, "it's the dog's").
; Donkey's years : (Donkey's ears) a very long time. In reference to the length of a donkey's ears. Sometimes abbreviated to, "donkey's".Green 1999, p. 352.
; Done up like a kipper : 1. Beaten up. 2. Fitted up or framed. 3. Caught red-handed by the police.Green 1999, p. 351.
; doofer : An unnamed object.Green 1999, p. 354.
; dosser : Someone who might stay in a dosshouse.CED 1991, p. 466.
; dosshouse : A cheap boarding house frequented by tramps.
; duck : A term of endearment used in the English Midlands and Yorkshire.
; duff : 1. broken, not working. 2. To beat, as in 'duff up'. 3. Pregnant (up the duff).CED 1991, p. 481.

E

; earwig : 1. To eavesdrop. 2. To twig (rhyming slang)Green 1999, p. 386.
; eating irons : Cutlery.Green 1999' p. 387.
; end away : to have sex (get one's end away).Green 1999, p. 481.

F

; fag : cigarette.CED 1991, p. 554.
; fag end: the used stub of a cigarette and by extension the unpleasant and worthless loose end of any situation.
; fag packet: cigarette packCED 1991, p. 559.
; fanny : female external genitalia, a woman's pudendum.CED 1991, p. 559.
; fanny adams : (Usually preceded by 'sweet' and often abbreviated to F.A., S.F.A. or sweet F.A.) Nothing at all. A euphemism for fuck all.
; fence : Someone who deals in stolen property.
; fit : sexually attractive (Afro-Caribbean).Green 1999, p. 420.
; fit up : A frame up.CED 1991, p. 583.
; fiver : five pounds.
; filth (the) : The police (derogatory).
; flasher : Someone who indecently exposes oneself.CED 1991, p. 586.
; flick : Motion picture, film. 'The flicks', the cinema.CED 1991, p. 589.
; flog : Sell.CED 1991, p. 591.
; flog a dead horse : 1. To continue talking about a long forgotten topic. 2. To attempt to find a solution to a problem which is unsolveable.
; flutter : (To have a flutter) To place a wager.CED 1991, p. 595.
; fly : Quick witted, clever.
; fork out : To pay out, usually with some reluctance.CED 1991, p. 604.
; French letter : Condom.CED 1991, p. 615.
; frig : 1.(Taboo) To masturbate. 2. When followed by 'around' or 'about', to behave aimlessly or foolishly.CED 1991, p. 617.
; frigging : 1. The act of masturbating. 2. Used as an intensifier. For example, "You frigging idiot". Considered milder than 'fucking'.
; Frog : Derogatory term for a Frenchman.CED 1991, p. 619.
; fuck all : nothing at all
; fudge packer : homosexual. (mildly derogatory)
; fuzz (the) : The police.CED 1991, p. 627.

G

; gaff : House or flat.CED 1991, p. 629.
; gaffer : Boss, foreman or employer.
; gander : Usually preceded by 'have a' or 'take a'. To look.CED 1991, p. 634.
; gash : 1. Surplus to requirements, unnecessary.CED 1991, p. 637. 2. Derogatory term used for female genitalia.Green 1999, p. 468.
; gassed : 1. Drunk. 2. excited
; geezer : (informal) Man. Particularly an old one.CED 1991, p. 640.
; get : Variant of git.CED 1991, p. 648. Insulting suggestion; one born through incest – 'Begotten-beget. "Son of your uncle".
; git : incompetent, stupid, annoying, or childish person.CED 1991, p. 653.
; go down : 1. To go to prison. 2. oral sex as in "did you go down on her?"
; go spare: To become angry, frustrated, distressed, enraged.
; gob : 1. Mouth 2. To spit. 3. Spittle.CED 1991, p. 661.
; gobshite : (Taboo) A stupid or despicable person.
; gobsmacked : flabbergasted, dumbfounded, astounded, speechless. Possibly either from the gesture of clapping one's hand over one's mouth in surprise, or the idea that something is as shocking as being smacked in the mouth
; gogglebox : Television.CED 1991, p. 662.
; gong : A medal. Usually a military one.CED 1991, p. 665.
; goolies : testicles
; grass : originally London (rhyming) slang for informer.
; grand : £1000CED 1991, p. 672.
; grot : Rubbish or dirt.CED 1991, p. 684. hence also porn as in "grot-mags"
; gubbins : General stuff; the guts of electrical equipment
; guff : 1. Ridiculous talk. Nonsense.CED 1991, p. 689. 2. Flatulence. Probably from the Norwegian ''gufs'', a puff of wind.Green 1999, p. 543.

H

; half-inch : to steal (rhyming slang for 'pinch')CED 1991, p. 700.
; hampton : Penis (rhyming slang from, Hampton Wick = prick; and Hampton Rock = cock).Green 1999, p. 556.
; handbags : a harmless fight especially between two women.Green 1999, p. 557. (from "handbags at dawn" an allusion to duelling)
; hard cheese/hard lines : Bad luck.CED 1991, p. 708.
; hardman or hard man : A man who is ruthless and/or violent.
; helmet : The glans of the penis.Green 1999, p. 587.
; henry : A henry is (or was) an eighth of an ounce (as in Henry the 8th) = in weight to a decimal penny
; honk : Vomit.CED 1991, p. 746.
; hook it : To run away quickly.
; hooky or hookey :1. Something that is stolen (probably from hook = to steal).Green 1999, p. 610. 2. Anything illegal.
; hooter : Nose.CED 1991, p. 748.
; hump : 1. To carry or heave.CED 1991, p. 758.

I

; idiot box : Television.CED 1991, p. 772.

; inside : In or into prison.CED 1991, p. 799.

; ivories : 1. Teeth. 2. The keys of a piano. 3. Dice.CED 1991, p. 822.

; I'm all right, Jack : A remark, often directed at another, indicating that they are selfish and that they don't care about it.CED 1991, p. 823.

J

; jacksy (or jacksie) : The buttocks or anus.CED 1991, p. 824.
; Jack the lad : A young man who is regarded as a show off and is brash or loud.
; jack up : Inject an illegal drug.
; jag : 1. A drug taking, or sometimes drinking, binge. 2. A period of uncontrolled activity.CED 1991, p. 825.
; jammy : 1. Lucky. 2. Pleasant or desirable.CED 1991, p. 826. as in "More jam than Hartley's" when an impressive pool shot is pulled off.
; jerry : A chamber pot.CED 1991, p. 829.
; Jerry : A German or German soldier.
; jessie : An effeminate man or one that is weak or afraid. (Originally Scottish slang)CED 1991, p. 830.
; jism, jissom: semen.CED 1991, p. 832.
; Jock : word or term of address for a Scot.
; Joe Bloggs : A man who is average, typical or unremarkable.CED 1991, p. 833.
; Joe Soap : An idiot, stooge or scapegoat.
; Johnny : Condom. Sometimes also a 'Johnny bag'Green 1999, p. 672' or 'rubber Johnny'.Green 1999, p. 1014.
; John Thomas : Penis.CED 1991, p. 834.
; josser : A cretin or simpleton.CED 1991, p. 835.
; judy : A girl or woman.
; jump : As a noun or verb, sexual intercourse.CED 1991, p. 838.

K

; kip : 1. Sleep, nap 2. Bed or lodging 3. Brothel (mainly Irish)CED 1991, p. 856.
; knackered : 1. Exhausted, tired, 2. Broken, beyond all usefulness.CED 1991, p. 858.
; knackers : vulgar name for testicles.
; knees-up : A lively party or dance.
; knob : 1. Penis.CED 1991, p. 859. 2. (of a man) To have sexual intercourse.Green 1999, p. 703.
; knobhead : a stupid, irritating person.
; knob jockey : homosexual (to ride the penis like a jockey rides a horse).
; knob-end : an idiot, or tip of penis (see bell-end).
; knockers : Breasts.
; knocking shop : Brothel.
; know one's onions : To be well acquainted with a subject.CED 1991, p. 1092.

L

; lady : A five-pound note. Rhyming Slang, Lady Godiva-Fiver
; lag : 1. Convict, particularly a long serving one (an old lag).Green 1999, p. 712.
; lash : 1. Urinate. 2. Alcohol.
; lashed : very inebriated. Also 'on the lash' meaning to go out drinking with the intent of getting drunk.Green 1999, p. 716.
; laughing gear : Mouth.Green 1999, p. 717.
; louie : A louie is (or was) a sixteenth of an ounce (as in Louie the 16th) = in weight to a decimal halfpence
; local : A public house close to one's home.CED 1991, p. 913.
; lolly : money.CED 1991, p. 917.
; loo : lavatory.CED 1991, p. 919.

M

; manky : dirty, filthy. (Polari).CED 1991, p. 950.
; Manky Snatcher : Maggie Thatcher
; marbles : Wits. As in, to lose one's marbles.CED 1991, p. 953.
; mardy : A dejected or mopey state. Widely used in the North and Midlands of England.
; mare : Woman (derogatory).Green 1999, p. 770.
; mark : A suitable victim for a con or swindle.CED 1991, p. 956.
; matelot : Sailor (from the French).CED 1991, p. 963.
; meat and two veg : Literally a traditional meal consisting of any meat, potatoes and a second type of vegetable; euphemistically the male external genitalia.Green 1999, p. 777. Is sometimes also used to mean something unremarkable or ordinary.
; mental : Crazy or insane.CED 1991, p. 977.
; Mick : An Irishman (derogatory).CED 1991, p. 986.
; miffed : Upset or offended.CED 1991, p. 990.
; milk run : A 'safe' mission or patrol.CED 1991, p. 992.
; minge : VaginaCED 1991, p. 995.
; minger : Someone who smells.Green 1999, p. 789.
; minted : Wealthy.
; mither : 1. to complain. 2. to annoy or bother. Used in Northern England.
; mizzle : Decamp.CED 1991, p. 1002.
; moggy : Cat.CED 1991, p. 1005.
; moke : Donkey.
; monged (out) : Severely drunk/high.Green 1999, p. 798. Derogatory use of archaic phrase for Downs Syndrome.
; moniker or moniker : Name, nickname, signature or mark.CED 1991, p. 1008.
; monkey : £500.Green 1999, p. 799.
; mooch : Loiter or wander aimlessly, skulk.CED 1991, p. 1013.
; moody gear, or story : stolen property or an improbable tale.
; moolah : Money.
; moon : To expose one's backside (from Old English, mona).
; moony : Crazy or foolish.CED 1991, p. 1014.
; muck about : Waste time. Interfere with.CED 1991, p. 1023.
; mucker : Mate, pal. Romanichal
; muck in : Share a duty or workload.
; mufti : Civilian dress worn by someone who normally wears a military uniform.CED 1991, p. 1024. Probably from the Muslim dress, popularly worn by British officers serving in India during the 19th century.Quinion 2009, pp. 197–198. Now commonly used to refer to a non-uniform day in schools.
; mug : 1. Face. 2. A gullible or easily swindled person.
; mug off : Sell Short, Underestimate, Insult as in "Is he mugging me off?"
; munter : Ugly person.Green 1999, p. 816.
; mush : 1. Face or mouth.CED 1991, p. 1028. 2. Familiar term of address. Probably from the Romanichal ''moosh'', a man.

N

; naff : Inferior or in poor taste.CED 1991, p. 1034. Also used as a minced oath as in, for example, "Naff off!" The latter usage was popularised by Ronnie Barker in the 1970s TV sitcom '' Porridge''.
; nark : 1. As a verb or noun; spy or informer.CED 1991, p. 1037. from "Narcotics" as in the "drug squad", or from Romany ''nāk'' = "nose" 2. Someone who complains a lot (an old nark). 3. Annoy or irritate.
; neck : 1. Kiss (they were both caught necking) 2. Involved heavily in something (he's up to his neck in it).
; ned : (Scottish) a lout, a drunken brawling fellow, a tough. Often said to stand for Non-Educated Delinquent but this is a backronym. More likely to come from Teddy Boys being a contraction of Edward. More recently, sometimes equated with the English chav.
; nick : 1. Steal.CED 1991, p. 1054 2. Police Station or prison. 3. To arrest. 4. health or condition, "to be in good nick"
; nicked : Arrested or stolen.
; nicker : Pound sterling.
; noggin : a lump of Hashish, bigger than a blim but less than a louie
; nob : 1. Person of high social standing.CED 1991, p. 1059. 2. Head.
; nobble : Disable (particularly a racehorse).
; nod out : To lapse into a drug induced stupour.CED 1991, p. 1060.
; nonce : Sex offender, most commonly a child molester. (Prison slang)CED 1991, p. 1061.
; noodle : Brain. as in "Use your noodle for once".
; nordle : Hashish codeword, now a type weed with lower THC and higher CBD
; nookie or nooky : Sexual intercourse.CED 1991, p. 1064.
; nose rag : Handkerchief.CED 1991, p. 1067.
; nosh : 1. Food. 2. To eat. 3. Oral sex.
; nosh up : A feast or large, satisfying meal.
; nowt : Nothing. Used in Northern England.
; nugget : A pound coin, as in golden nugget.
; numpty : Incompetent or unwise person.
; nut : 1. Head. 2. Eccentric person.CED 1991, p. 1073.
; nutcase : An insane person.
; nuthouse : A lunatic asylum.
; nutmeg : In association football, to pass the ball between an opposing player's legs.CED 1991, p. 1074.
; nuts or nutty : Crazy or insane.
; nutter : Insane person.

O

; odds and sods : Substitute for 'odds and ends'. Miscellaneous items or articles, bits and pieces.
; oik : Someone of a low social standing (derogatory).CED 1991, p. 1086.
; off one's head (or out of one's head) : Mad or delirious.CED 1991, p. 715.
; off the hook : Free from obligation or danger.
; off one's nut : Crazy or foolish.
; old bill, the old bill :A policeman or the police collectively.CED 1991, p. 1087.
; one and you're anyone's, two and you're everyone's : A term referring to service men returning from duty, and not being used to alcohol. In the traditional music/dance halls it was said "one drink and they would dance with anyone & two drinks and they would dance with everyone "
; one's head off: Loud or excessively. "I laughed my head off" or "She screamed her head off" for example.
; out to lunch: To doze off drunk or high and neglect a responsibility. also "Lunch Out"
; owt: Anything. Used in Northern England. Derived from '' aught''.

P

; packet : 1. A large sum of money (earn a packet).CED 1991, p. 1118. 2. A nasty surprise (catch a packet).
; paddy : a fit of temper.CED 1991, p. 1120.
; Paddy : (capitalised) An Irishman (derogatory).
; Paki : (Derogatory, offensive) A Pakistani or sometimes used to loosely describe anyone or anything from the Indian sub-continent.CED 1991, p. 1121.
; Paki Black : High quality Hashish from Pakistan. Very very dark brown hence "black" rumoured to be opiumated.
; Paki-bashing : Unprovoked attacks on Pakistanis living in Britain.CED 1991, p. 1122.
; pants : Rubbish; something worthless.
; paste : To hit, punch or beat soundly. From a 19th-century variant of baste, meaning to beat thoroughly.CED 1991, p. 1141.
; pasting : A sound thrashing or heavy defeat.
; pegged : To die e he pegged it last weekThought to have originated from soldiers in the First World War playing the card game cribbage. Scores in cribbage are kept on a peg board and the losing player is said to 'peg out'.CED 1991 p. 1173
; penny-dreadful : A cheap, sensationalist magazine.CED 1991, p. 1153.
; phiz or phizog : The face (from a 17th-century colloquial shortening of physiognomy).
; pickled : Drunk.
; pie-eyed : Drunk.CED 1991, p. 1179.
; pig's ear : 1. Beer (Cockney rhyming slang.CED 1991, p. 1180. 2. Something that has been badly done or has been made a mess of.
; pikey : Pejorative term used, mainly in England to refer to travellers, gypsies or vagrants.Green 1999, p. 915. Sometimes also used to describe people of low social class or morals. Someone less than quarter blood Romani who travels, but may have less inclination to keep to the old ways (from Lancs Romanichal oral tradition)
; pillock : Stupid or annoying person.
; pinch : 1. (noun) A robbery.CED 1991, p. 1182 2. Sail too close to the wind (nautical slang).
; pissed, pissed up : Drunk.Green 1999, p. 921.
; on the piss : Getting drunk, drinking alcohol.Green 1999, p. 876.
; piss in (someone's) chips : dash someone's hopes or plans
; plastered : Extremely drunk.Green 1999, p. 925.
; play silly buggers : To behave in a silly, stupid or annoying way.
; plonker : 1. Something large or substantial (mid-19th century).Green 1999, p. 930 2. Penis. 3. A general term of abuse (from 2.; in use since 1960s but may have been popularised by the BBC comedy series ''Only Fools and Horses''.)
; ponce : 1. Homosexual 2. To borrow from someone (derogatory sense)
; pongo : a British Army soldier (used especially by members of the Royal Navy or RAF)
; pony : £25 (18th century).Green 1999, p. 937.
; poof, poofta: homosexual (mildly derogatory)
; porkies : Lies (from the cockney rhyming slang ''pork pies'')Green 1999, p. 941.
; porridge : (To do porridge) A term in prison.
; powder nose : as in 'I'm just going to powder my nose' : going to the toilet (derived from powder room).
; prat : a fool
; punt : 1. To gamble, wager or take a chance.Green 1999, p. 959. 2. To sell or promote.
; punter : 1. Customer, patron. 2. Gambler (one who takes a punt). 3. A victim in a confidence trick or swindle.

Q

; queer as folk: 1. A drama concerning the life of three homosexual men in Manchester England. 2. A way of saying "people are strange" usually preceded by the words "nowt as". Primarily used in the North of England.
; queer as a clockwork orange : 1. Very odd indeed.Green 1999, p. 973. 2. Ostentatiously homosexual.
; Queer Street : A difficult or odd situation (up Queer Street).Green 1999, p. 974.
; queer someone's pitch : 1. Take the pitch of another street vendor, busker or similar. 2. Spoil someone else's efforts.
; quid : Pound sterling
; quim : Vagina (possibly a play on the Welsh word for valley, cwm).

R

; Richard the Third : A piece of excrement (rhyming slang Richard the Third = turd).

; ring : Anal sphincterGreen 1999, p. 1000.

; ringburner : 1. A curry. 2. Diarrhoea or painful defecation.

; rozzer : Policeman.CED 1991, p. 1350. from "Rosicrucian"

; rumpy pumpy : sexual intercourse, used jokingly. (Popularised by its usage in ''The Black Adder'' and subsequent series; the suggestion of actor Alex Norton of a Scots term.)

S

; safe : An all purpose term of approval. Popularised during the early rave era 1988–1995.
; savvy : Knowledge, understanding (from the French, savoir).
; scally : A hooligan youth (Scouse), short for scallywag.Green 1999, p. 1032.
; scarper : Run away. Sometimes claimed to be rhyming slang: Scapa Flow (go).CED 1991, p. 1383.Green 1999, p. 1034.
; scrubber : In Britain, a promiscuous woman; in Ireland, a common or working class woman.
; Scouser : Someone from Liverpool.Green 1999, p. 1038.
; scrote : Term of abuse, from scrotum.Green 1999, p. 1042.
; scrounger : A lazy person who typically lives on benefits.
; see a man about a dog : 1. Attend a secret deal or meeting.Green 1999, p. 1043. 2. Go to the toilet.
; shag : Sexual intercourse.Green 1999, p. 1052.
; shagged : 1. The past historic of shag. 2. Extremely tired (shagged out).
; shiner : Black eye.CED 1991, p. 1427.
; shitehawk : Someone of little worth, originally military slang.Green 1999, p. 1061.
; shit-faced : Drunk.
; shop : betray, tell on someone he criminal was shopped to the police by his gang; skanky : Dirty, particularly of a marijuana pipe. However originally Jamaican Patois for lazy dancing or "The Rasta Swagger" as in Easy Skanking
; skint : Without money.Green 1999, p. 1083.
; slag : 1. Worthless or insignificant person. 2. Promiscuous woman or prostitute.Green 1999, p. 1086.
; slag off : A verbal attack. To criticise or slander.
; slap-head : A bald man.
; slapper : Promiscuous woman or prostitute.
; slash : Urinate, urination.Green 1999, p. 1088.
; sling one's hook : Go away.
; snog : French kiss, or any prolonged physical intimacy without undressing or sexual contact.Green 1999, p. 1104
; sod : Annoying person or thing (from sodomite).Green 1999, p. 1108.
; sod off : "Go away".Green 1999, p. 1109.
; spawny : Lucky (possibly from the Scottish game, Spawnie).Green 1999, p. 1107.
; specks:Glasses
; specky:Refers to someone with glasses (derogatory)
; splud
: archaic slang – short for "God's Blood". It was used as a mild curse word. It was used to replace other words seen as blasephmy.
; spunk : 1. Semen, ejaculate. 2. Courage, bravery.Green 1999, p. 1127.
; steaming : 1. Extremely drunk.Green 1999, p. 1137. 2. An intensifier, e.g. "You steaming gurt ninny!" 3. Extremely angry.
; stuffed : 1. Sexual intercourse (e.g. "get stuffed")Green 1999, p. 1154. 2. Used negatively to mean bothered, as in, "I can't be stuffed to do that!". 3. having a full belly (e.g. "I am completely stuffed, and can't eat another thing.").

T

; tab : cigarette
; tad : a little bitCED 1991, p. 1569.
; take the piss (out of) : To mock.Green 1999, p. 1177.
; take the mickey : To tease or mock.
; tart : Commonly a prostitute or term of abuse but also used affectionately for a lover. Shortened version of sweetheart.CED 1991, p. 1578.
; tenner : Ten pounds.Green 1999, p. 1188.
; toff : Posh personCED 1991, p. 1619.
; tommy: A British soldier in WWI.
; ton : 1. A large unspecified amount (18th century).Green 1999, p. 1214. 2. £100 (1940s). 3. 100 MPH (1950s). 4. Any unit of 100 (1960s).
; tosh : Nonsense
; tosser : 1. Someone who masturbates (to toss off). 2. Someone the speaker doesn't like (from 1.).CED 1991, p. 1626. 3. An affectionate form of address (from 1.) e.g. "All right you old tosser!"Green 1999, p. 1219.
; tosspot : Drunkard or habitual drinker (from tossing pots of ale)
; tube: 1. The London Underground (19th century. Originally 'Tuppeny tube').Green 1999, p. 1232. 2. Penis. 3. A person (Scottish). 4. A general term of contempt (Irish, 1950s).Green 1999, p. 1231,
; twag: bunk off school, play truant. "You off to twag maths" Lincolnshire, Yorkshire probably from "to wag"
; twat : 1. Vagina.Green 1999, p. 1237. 2. Term of abuse (from 1.). 3. To hit hard.

W

; wag off : Skyve or play truant.Green 1999, p. 1257.
; wank : 1. Masturbation or to masturbate.Green 1999, p. 1261. 2. Inferior.
; wanker : 1. Someone who masturbates. 2. Abusive term (from 1.), someone the speaker doesn't like.
; wankered : 1. Very drunk. 2. Exhausted.
; wanking spanner(s) : Hand(s).
; warts and all : Including all negative characteristics (from a reported request from Oliver Cromwell to Peter Lely)Green 1999, p. 1263.
; whizz : 1. Urination.Green 1999, p. 1283. 2. Amphetamine Sulphate (also known as speed; from whizz, to move very fast).
; willy : Penis (hypocorism).Green 1999, p. 1288.
; willy-waving : Acting in an excessively macho fashion.
; wind up : to tease, irritate, annoy, anger

See also

* British English
* London slang
* '' Roger's Profanisaurus''

Notes

References

*
*Collins English Dictionary. Glasgow GN4 0NB: Harper Collins Publishers. 1991. .
*Green, Jonathon (1999). The Cassell Dictionary of Slang. London: Cassell. .
*Hunt, J. L. and Pringle, A. G. (2008). Service Slang. London: Faber and Faber. .
*Oxford Dictionary of English Grammar. Oxford University Press (1995).
*Quinion, Michael (2009). Why is Q Always Followed by a U?. London: Penguin Books. .

Further reading

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External links

''A Dictionary of Slang and Colloquial English''
Farmer & Henley (1905)

The Septic's Companion: A British Slang Dictionary
n online dictionary of British slang, viewable alphabetically or by category.

English slang and colloquialisms used in the United Kingdom


An online version of the list of vulgar definitions which occasionally appears in Viz magazine

British Slang Words for ESL learners

British Slang Words
A list of Popular British slang words organized alphabetically.

{{DEFAULTSORT:British Slang

British English